It's All Fun And Games
by GreenQueen615
Summary: Kel and Joren start a prank war, all's fun and games until Lord Wyldon finds out! Things take a distressing turn when older brother Anders comes for a visit...ON HIATUS
1. Chapter 1

Yay, my first fic!

Disclaimer: **Not mine. Sorry. **

(can this cover all the chapters?)

Chapter 1: Plots and Procedures

Keladry of Mindelan glared across the room at her friends. She was sitting cross-legged on the floor, and they were grouped around the table. At first glance, you might think that she was angry. At second glance you would see that she wasn't angry, she was furious. She sat and battled with herself, half of her wanting to go over to them and plot, and the other half knowing that it was a bad idea, and that they would get in trouble for it.

A tall, handsome boy with wavy black hair and even blacker eyes stood up and walked over to her. He knelt and said, "Kel?"

She continued glaring at the boys.

"Aw," he pouted, "That hurts. C'mon, Kel, it'll be fun."

She closed her eyes.

"We can short-sheet their beds."

A corner of her mouth twitched.

"We can hide their breeches."

She bit her lip to keep from smiling.

"We can oil their saddles."

Her lips curved up in a miniscule smile.

He continued, pressing his advantage. "We can forge letters, weight their weapons, put frogs in their beds, hang their laundry on The Needle-"

She burst out laughing. "Faleron! That's terrible!"

He grinned. "I know. Isn't it?"

She stood up, groaning. "Fine. I'll help, but on two conditions. One, that I get the final say on all of the missions, and two, that you all have double helpings of vegetables tonight."

"Aw, Kel, that isn't jolly at all!" protested a cheerful-looking, round faced boy with a mop of sandy curls.

"I second that," said a tall, green eyed boy, "As the oldest one here, I propose that you, Keladry, eat our vegetables, and Owen and I can share your dessert."

Kel smacked his arm.

He winced. "You know, one of these days you're really going to hurt me, and then you'll be sorry."

She smirked at him. "I doubt it, Neal. Now, what's the plan?"

Merric of Hollyrose cleared his throat. "Well, we think that, as revenge for them making you so late to serving, and you having punishment duty, and us having to repeat the homework because you couldn't help us, and us getting punishment duty because of that, and you getting hur-"

"Skip all that, Merric," Seaver of Tasride hissed. "Could you just get to the part about the pranks? She already knows all that!"

Merric glared at him. "As I was saying, we want to prank them. Bad."

Cleon of Kennan smirked. "Really bad."

Owen dimpled. "Jolly bad."

Faleron grinned. "Really, jolly bad."

Neal smiled. "Are you in?"

Kel put on her Yamani mask. "Oh, I'm in. And they're in for it."

"Then here's the plan."

o-O-o

Later on, in the mess hall, Kel's group of friends was unusually quiet, either from the large amounts of vegetables on their plates, or from anticipation of their prank. Keladry herself was having trouble eating. She ate her vegetables, to ward off complaints from the boys, but left her soup, meat, and roll. She contemplated eating her dessert, but her stomach rebelled at the thought of touching the flaky, sugary pastry, so she just handed it to Neal.

She glanced around the table. Seaver was nervously shredding his roll onto his napkin. Merric was staring absentmindedly at Lord Wyldon, Owen was shoveling down his vegetables, Faleron and Cleon were discussing quintain practice, Neal was dissecting a carrot, and Prince Roald was chewing his lip.

Kel closed her eyes and breathed. _'I am stone. I am a calm lake. I am stone…ten, nine, eight…I am stone.'_

Neal mashed his carrot into oblivion, and drowned it in gravy. This was going to be so good. Any second now… seven, six…

Roald bit his lip nervously. What if this didn't work? What sort of a prince went around playing tricks on his unsuspecting subjects? He should never have let himself be talked into this. What an idiot. A bead of sweat rolled down his forehead. Five, four…

Owen jumped up and down in his seat. This was going to be so jolly! Three…

Merric glanced at Seaver. He nudged him. "Two …"

Faleron looked up. Cleon grinned. They looked at each other and whispered, "_One…_"

Everybody at the table looked at each other and quietly said, "Now."

Hope you liked that, bit of a cliffhanger there, please R&R!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: BANG!

Kel held her breath. Something should have happened by now. After a moment, she cracked an eyelid. Everyone else in the mess hall was eating. Her friends still had their eyes closed, as though waiting for an explosion. She jabbed Neal. He started. "Wha-what happened?"

She glared at him. "Ssshh! Nothing happened."

He blinked. "Huh?"

She shrugged. "It must've just not been timed right, or maybe it's a dud."

He scowled. "Do you doubt my, Nealan of Queenscove, son of Baird of Queenscove, healing and intellectual proficiency?"

"Yes."

"Okay, so maybe it's a dud, or maybe it's timed wrong, or maybe it just-"

"Or maybe," Kel said, quietly, "It's about to go off right now?"

"Huh?"

She clapped a hand over his mouth and squeezed her eyes shut.

The rest of the boys at the table took the hint and closed their eyes and mouths as well.

BANG!

There was a great scraping of chairs as everyone hurried away from Joren of Stone Mountain. A pungent green smoke filled the mess hall, and everyone who did not already have their mouths covered gasped and coughed. Eyes streaming, nose running, Joren stood up and shouted, "What in the name of Mithros's-"

"Control yourself, Joren of Stone Mountain!" bellowed Lord Wyldon. Wyldon's dinner guest, Duke Turomot of Wellam was retching slightly, as was Wyldon himself.

"Everyone, please-" Wyldon stopped, coughing. The pages quieted. "Clear the hall. Now!" Everyone hurried out of the hall. Once in the corridor, everyone started talking.

"By Mithros and the Goddess, what a stench!"

"What was that?"

"I thought I was going to be sick!"

"Even old Turomot was retching, did you see?"

"Ugh, I _am_ going to be sick."

"What on earth could that have been?"

"Should we go to our rooms?"

"I feel sorry for the servant who has to clean that mess up."

"I know, it looked like cat-sick!"

"Just, cat-sick smells better."

Lord Wyldon came out of the hall. The look on his face was murderous.

He started to speak, then, coughing, held up his hand. "I have no idea what that was."

The pages looked at each other, confused.

"However, I will ask several people, Duke Baird included, to examine it further. For now, everyone go to your rooms. Joren of Stone Mountain…perhaps you ought to get cleaned up first."

Joren bowed, flushing, and left for the men's baths.

"Of course," said Wyldon, "anyone who wishes to bathe as well can…Page Seaver of Tasride, if you could fetch Duke Baird, please, I need to speak with him."

Muttering, the pages dispersed.

As soon as Kel's group reached her room, they broke out into fits of silent giggles. Ushering them inside, Kel closed the door tightly.

Chuckling, Neal asked, "Wha-what're you doing, Kel? You know the rules, no boys, and you have…six of us in here."

"Yes," she replied, "but I'd rather no one heard us."

He nodded. "Let's make it quick, though."

Merric was rolling on the floor laughing. "A-and the best part is," he choked, "him 'n Vinson 'n Garvey'll smell for days!"

Owen nodded. "That is jolly. What do you think he'll say when he finds out who done it?"

Keladry looked at him. "Did it. Not _done _it, Owen."

Neal smiled, "And he won't do anything, because he won't find out who did it."

o-O-o

"Mindelan!" Joren yelled, flinging a vase across the room.

Garvey of Runnerspring looked up. "What?"

"Mindelan did this. Her and Queenscove, and probably the rest of their little group."

"The Lump isn't smart enough for this," whined Vinson of Genlith, "maybe it was just…just…I don't know, but it wasn't the Lump."

"Yes, it was," insisted Joren, running his fingers through his white-blond hair, "I know it!"

"So what if it was her," growled Garvey, "You don't have any proof."

"I don't need proof!" he screamed, "Any idiot can tell it was her!"

Vinson glared at him. "Thanks," he said, dryly.

"Well, it's true." Joren smirked, "And besides, I don't want proof. I want revenge."

Garvey looked at him. "Yeah, like what?"

"Oh," Joren said, smugly, "I have a few ideas."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Revenge is Sweet

Keladry stretched, and reached for her glaive. She leaned down and touched her toes, breathed, and began the pattern dance. Her glaive was a just a black-and-silver blur.

When she stopped, panting, the sun had just risen, and her sparrows had gathered on her windowsill. She crumbled a biscuit into their dish, and held out a finger. Crown hopped on and cheeped loudly. Kel stroked her scrubby feathers, and tickled the pale spot on her head. Still holding Crown aloft, she lifted her glaive and went to hang it up. She placed it on its hook and turned around. Behind her, she heard a crash. The glaive had fallen down and narrowly missed the sparrows. She picked it up. It was whole, except for a nick in the handle. She silently cursed herself for being so clumsy.

Lalasa hurried out of the dressing room, yawning. "Milady, I did not mean to sleep so late. Wha-what happened?"

Kel forced a smile. "Nothing, Lalasa. I was just clumsy. You can go back to sleep, you know."

Lalasa curtsied. "No, thank you, Milady."

Kel sighed and hurried into the freezing dressing room.

She pulled on a fresh pair of hose, slipped on her boots, and pulled on a clean red tunic.

She dragged a comb through her straggly locks and noticed with a grimace that it was time for another haircut. She took a final glance in the mirror, and hurried out the door to the mess hall. She caught up with Neal, who was slumped over by the door.

"Nealan!"

He grimaced. "Don't call me that, my least favorite aunt calls me Nealan."

"Well, you look as though you need to be called that. What happened?"

"Nothing happened, except that I woke up."

She smirked. "Good morning, Nealan."

Keladry strode into the mess hall and grabbed a tray. After taking a piece of fruit, two rolls, a hard boiled egg, and some fried meat, she turned around and almost lost her mask.

Vinson, Garvey, and Joren sat in their usual spot. However, today, instead of being surrounded by admiring younger pages, there was absolutely no one seated within five chairs of any of them. When she got to her table, she found even the Prince trying not to laugh. Owen grinned at her. "Morning, Kel. Isn't that just jolly?"

She nodded impassively.

He peered at her. "What's wrong, Kel? You don't look jolly."

She nodded again. "No, Owen, I'm quite jolly. Thanks, though."

She looked around the table. "Has Nealan managed to drag himself in here yet?"

Roald grinned at her. "Not quite, I think that he's still slouching by the door."

"Well, he'd better hurry up, Stump's about to give the blessing."

As if on cue, Lord Wyldon stood up, and Neal somehow found the energy to grab a pastry and get to the table. Once there, he poured himself a cup of orange juice and stood with the other pages. Lord Wyldon cleared his throat. "Great Mithros, let us be truthful in our words and pure in our actions. Let us focus on our goal and put aside petty differences. So mote it be."

The pages bowed their heads. "So mote it be."

They sat, and ate.

After they finished with their breakfast, they hurried down to the stables. Once there, Keladry found Peachblossom sleepy and dazed-looking, as were the horses of all her friends, excepting Prince Roald's mare, Seafoam.

"Wha-?" Kel gaped, bewildered. "Neal, are they sick?"

"No," he answered, grimly, "They've been drugged."

"What?" howled Seaver, "I'll kill them! Those bloody idiots, if anything happens to Light I'll kill them myself!"

"Agreed," growled Merric. "Moonbeam'd better not be damaged."

Faleron grimaced. "Well, yes, same with Gryphon, and I'm sure it's so with Thunder," he nodded to Cleon, "and with Happy, but how can we prove who did it?"

Kel deadpanned. "I think it's pretty obvious _who _did it, and why, only thing is, we can't report it without getting in trouble."

The other pages nodded.

Roald examined Seaver's mare, Light. "It's a pretty simple drug," he declared, "Neal and I could probably fix them, but they'll still be a bit out of it for a while."

"Well, anything is better than this," Seaver said, rubbing Light's hindquarters, "Look at them! I'm surprised they're still standing."

"Alright, then," said Roald, "Neal?"

"Ready."

The two boys set themselves, and spread their fingers. A glowing ball of blue magic formed between Roald's hands, a sparkling green between Neal's. The balls converged, and bobbed softly to each horse's stall, enveloping each horse in a sparkly coat for a few moments, before finally popping. The horses definitely looked better. Roald and Neal, on the other hand, were completely drained.

By the time everyone else was saddled and heading out to the practice lanes, Kel's group was still putting on their horses saddles.

Lord Wyldon was not pleased.

"Punishment work. Three bells cleaning armor tonight. All of you."

o-O-o

Later on in the library, Merric, Seaver, and Cleon were ready to go and kill Joren.

Faleron was all for stealing their clothing, and Neal was ready to hex them into oblivion.

Roald wanted to leave it, and Owen wanted to thrash them good and proper. Kel wasn't sure what to do, but she knew that she would be the victor, whatever she did.

Merric flipped a page of his etiquette book. "I hate this," he growled. "We've got to get back at them. They hurt our horses!"

"I agree," said Kel, "the thing is, what can we do?"

Neal smiled. "Perhaps we can…help them?"

Kel gaped at him. "What?"

Neal smirked. "Here's my idea."

o-O-o

Neal carefully described his plan, and they all agreed that it was perfect.

"So we're agreed, we'll put this into action after lunch?"

Everyone nodded.

They hurried down to the mess hall and each grabbed a tray. Once they had all got their food they went to the table and waited for Lord Wyldon to come and give the blessing. He came, and with him came King Jonothan. All of the pages stood, and did not sit until he was seated. Then he gave the blessing. "Great Mithros, Goddess, all gods, great and small, please give us the wisdom to discern between good and evil, and the strength to carry out our deeds."

"So mote it be," they said raggedly, and started to eat. Then Lord Wyldon stood.

"It has come to my attention," he said, loudly, "that some of you have started a sort of…of prank war. While pranks can, I suppose, be amusing, they are also hurtful, and dangerous. The Code of Chivalry states that a noble must not ignore an insult. Therefore, it would be dishonorable of me to ask you to stop."

Kel and her friends glanced at one another.

"However," he continued, "I will ask you to organize yourselves. This will be excellent training. Therefore, King Jonothan will give you the rules that we have worked out."

King Jonothan stood. "Pages. You are Tortall's army in training. Without honorable knights with a sense of fair play, we are prey to other knights and armies. This will, I hope, instill in you that sense of fair play, and honor. So, right now, I would like to declare the start of the first ever Prank War."

The pages murmured amongst themselves. Prank War?

"We will not continue in this same unseemly manner. Instead, I will appoint generals, corporals, sergeants, etcetera, and you will hold councils of war, you may sign treaties, you may have skirmishes, sieges, battles, surprise attacks, and more. However, no pranks may affect classwork, horses, or any member of the palace staff. Also, no pranks can cause permanent injury. All pranks must be clear as to who was the perpetrator, you will be judged on this exercise by a panel of judges, myself and Lord Wyldon included. No punishment work will be handed down because of pranks."

The pages looked at each other gleefully. This was going to be fun.

"Teams, or," he smiled, "armies, are as follows. General of the Red Army is Page Keladry of Mindelan. General of the Blue Army is Page Joren of Stone Mountain."

Wyldon grinned. This would be interesting.

"Second in command are Page Nealan of Queenscove for the Red Army, and Page Garvey of Runnerspring for the Blue Army." King Jonothan continued to call out names, and Kel was delighted to hear that not most of her friends were on her team. Sadly, Cleon was on the Blue team. "As of now," called out King Jonothan, "your team is your army! You will eat together, train together, and plan together. Your comrade can mean your life in wartime, pages. So, on that note, let the Prank War begin!"

He sat down.

The pages started cheering, and Owen leaned over and poked Kel. "Permission to start the first battle?" She looked at him. "Permission granted." He whooped, and tossed a pastry over at Vinson of Genlith. There was total silence as everyone stared at Vinson, who had cherry bits trickling down his long, sallow face. For a moment, nobody breathed.

Then Garvey gave a war-whoop and threw a roll back at Merric, who reciprocated with a piece of ham. All of a sudden the air was thick with flying fruit, rolls, pastries, cakes, and meat. Kel pelted Joren with carrots, even as he sent potatoes back at her. Everyone was covered in food, and even some of the teachers were smiling, when a large chunk of cake struck King Jonothan in the face.

Everyone went silent.

King Jonothan stood up, fork still in hand, and said, "Oh, dear."

Everybody held their breath.

He continued. "I did promise Thayet that I would keep my tunic clean. However…"

He picked up a large bowl of salad dressing, and turned it around in his hands.

"This is just…too… good… to… resist!"

And he dumped the bowl on Wyldon's bald crown. Then he burst out laughing.

Kel giggled. Wyldon stood up. He bowed. "Your Majesty," he said, "forgive me."

He poured a pitcher of juice onto King Jonothan. Then _he _started to laugh.

o-O-o

Later on, Keladry of Mindelan sat in the library with the rest of her team. Yancen of Irenroha was recording the meeting, and Neal was taking a vote.

"All in favor of using Roald's idea, say 'Aye'."

There was a chorus of aye's. Kel had to agree, Roald's idea of dyeing the Blue Team's clothing red was inspired. But that was only a start.

Kel cleared her throat. "Uh, um, I know that we don't have to or anything, but I think that it might be a good idea if we wore, um, badges or something, so we look a little bit more…uniform?"

Owen nodded. "Jolly idea, Kel. I'll make them, if you want!"

She looked at him. Owen was so enthusiastic, it was hard to say no.

Sadly, Owen's artistic talents were…negligible.

"Sure, Owen. Uh…Prosper, do you want to help him with that? There _are_ a lot of us."

"Yessir, General, sir."

She laughed. "Okay, then. I'll ask Lalasa to put the dye in their wash, Faleron, will you take care of the saddles? I believe that was your idea, am I right?"

"Kel?" Merric raised a hand. "Won't that interfere with lessons?"

Neal grinned. "Nope, it only works once. They fall off, ker-splat, they get on, and boom. Prank number two is done."

"Well," Kel said, stifling a yawn, "I'm turning in. Lock your doors tonight, boys, I personally don't want to be awakened by a frog or rat or other nasty creature. G'night."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Anticipation

Team Red filed into mess hall, all sporting a large badge. The badges were red, of course, a shield with a crossed glaive, sword, and jester's stick.

When they got in, they were met by several glowering faces.

The Blue team was sitting on the left side of the room. Their faces matched their outfits, both were tinged a deep pink.

Neal's voice carried high over everyone else's. "Oh, dear, and I forgot my parasol."

Kel's team rushed to get their breakfast, and the Blue team continued watching them.

They loaded their trays with food and sat down on the benches across from the Blue team.

Kel poked Neal, who was chewing his lip nervously. "They're just trying to scare us."

"Yeah, well," he hissed, "They're doing a pretty good job of it!"

o-O-o

Joren of Stone Mountain glared down at his pale pink tunic. A whispered voice carried over from the other side of the room. "Stone Mountain looks like a girl-no offense, Kel-"

He frowned. _They'll_ _get theirs, though, they'll get theirs_.

o-O-o

Kel glared at Joren. _He looks too…smug,_ she thought, _yes, definitely smug. He must be plotting something. __**Well, of course he's plotting something, **_said the cool, reasonable part of her mind, _**That's the point.**_ She shook her head. _Don't let him get to you…I am stone…I am a still lake…_

o-O-o

Joren grinned. Any minute now, any minute now…

o-O-o

Kel glanced at the Blue team. There was Cleon. She waved. He looked away.

o-O-o

Cleon sighed inwardly. Kel and the rest of them were going to get it bad. _And they deserve it, too, _he thought angrily. _That was just low, dyeing our clothes. Any second now…_

**Sorry, this was miserably short. Next one will be super long, to make up for it, though. Please R&R!**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Now!

Lord Wyldon stood. "Great Mithros, Goddess, guide us in our choices, help us to be cunning and clever, to execute our plans with haste, and to accept defeat graciously."

The pages stood. "So mote it be."

They all dug in to their food. The Blue team watched their opponents carefully.

All of a sudden… "GODS BLAST IT, WHAT IS THIS?"

Everyone turned to stare at Neal. "Neal?" Kel asked, worriedly, "Are you okay?"

"M-my food! It's spicy, burning!"

"Wha-?" Kel grimaced as the impact of the cayenne pepper hit her tongue. Eyes streaming, she fought to keep her Yamani mask in place. She grabbed for her juice and gulped, realizing too late that it, too, was spiked with pepper.

All around her, Red soldiers were gasping and coughing.

So was Team Blue. They could hardly breathe for laughing.

Lord Wyldon stood. "I assume that the perpetrators for this attack would be the Blue army?"

Joren stood and bowed. "Yes, My Lord."

Wyldon smiled. "Congratulations."

"Thank you, My Lord."

"I hope that we can expect repercussions from the Red army?"

Kel stood and bowed as well. "Yes, My Lord."

He folded his hands behind him. "Dismissed!"

o-O-o

Neal banged his fist against the stable wall. "That was low!"

Faleron nodded. "Doesn't this interfere with our training?"

"Yeah," Merric agreed, "how on earth am I supposed to do anything with an empty stomach? I'm starved!"  
Seaver stood. "I say we go to King Jonothan and tell."  
"No," Kel said slowly, "If we do then we just look like sore losers. We just need to stop fooling and start pranking."  
Roald frowned. "But what about Cleon? We can't do anything too bad to him."  
"I didn't see him crying while our tongues burned off." Merric said, cracking his knuckles.  
"If he doesn't care, I don't care."  
Owen grinned. "Now we'll have a jolly fight."  
Neal stood. "After that diabolical strike, our efforts will seem pitiful. We need to think of something else."  
"Nealan," Kel said, standing. "Do you remember the little joke that Joren played on me in our first year? At quintain practice?"  
Neal blinked. "Yeah, they weighted your lan-" he stopped, an evil grin spreading over his face. "Oh, this is going to be good. This is going to be very, very good."  
"But Kel," Seaver said, staring at her, "that would interfere with lessons. If they can't lift their weapons…"  
"But, Seaver," Kel said, blinking, "who said anything about weapons?"

o-O-o

Later on in the mess hall, Lord Wyldon noticed that the Blue Team looked incredibly tired. He had been rather disappointed by the Red Team's payback prank: they had put something on the saddles so that the Blue Team fell out the first time. He hoped that they would follow up on that, he had several nobles on Mindelan to win.

Joren of Stone Mountain yawned. He was so tired, even the silverware seemed heavy. He felt as though there were lead weights in his shoes, and he…  
Lead weights.  
He thought back. He hadn't done anything particularly strenuous that day, he shouldn't be having this much trouble eating his soup. He glanced around the room. Everyone else on his team was struggling just as much as he was. He flipped over his spoon. There, fused to the back by some sort of sparkly sapphire thing, was a stick of lead. "Mindelan," he growled, standing up. "Do we have any mages on our side?" he yelled. The hall went silent. Then Nealan of Queenscove burst out laughing. Then Kel giggled, and for the first time since Joren had seen her, she dropped her mask, and laughed. Everyone gazed at her in amazement, and then the rest of the Red Team started to laugh. Lord Wyldon stood, and said, "Congratulations on a prank well played, General Keladry. I do hope, though, that the lead will come off of the silverware?"  
Kel stood and bowed. "Yes, my lord, the magic is easily dissolved with water, but the lead in their shoes they'll have to get out by hand." She bowed again and sat.  
Lord Wyldon stood there for a moment fighting a smile. Then he bowed, and dismissed them all.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Jubilation

"That was good. That was so good!" Neal crowed, jumping up in the air.

Kel grinned. "Yeah, it was. But we're going to get a major payback prank tomorrow, you know that, right?"

Yancen of Irenroha grimaced. "They'd better not touch the food again."

"I wish there was some way that we could keep them from pranking us again," Prosper of

Tameron said, frowning.

Seaver stood. "Maybe there is."

Everyone looked at him. "What?" Merric asked, finally.

"Well," he started, "they can't prank us if they can't get to us, can they?"

o-O-o

It was two bells before dawn. The Red Army was crouched outside the Blue Army's rooms, yawning. "You know, Merric," Owen whispered, "I don't think they're coming out anytime soon. Can we go to bed?"

"No way," Merric hissed, "We need to make sure they can't get out."

He poured oil on the threshold of each bedroom, and nodded to Faleron, who was busy arranging buckets of syrup to dump on the first person to open the door. "A little higher, Fal."

Neal and Roald were busy making barriers of sparkly blue and green magic to keep anyone who wasn't wearing a red badge from leaving the hall, and Kel, Yancen, Prosper, and some other boys were making a fort. Jared of Undine's Hill was making ooze-arrows that, when they struck you, covered you with a greenish goop. Some of the first year pages were snuffing out all the torches and covering the windows.

o-O-o

Kel looked around the hall. Neal gave her the thumbs up. She knocked on Joren's door and slipped a note under it. It read,

To General Joren of Stone Mountain

I, Keladry of Mindelan, General of the Red Army, do hereby inform you that you are under siege. I bid you to wave a white flag of surrender and sign this in admission of the fact that you yield to the mercy of the Red Army, and to confirm our victory of this battle.

General Keladry of Mindelan

Colonel Nealan of Queenscove

Kel grinned. "Now all we have to do is wait."

o-O-o

Just a few moments after Kel slipped their note under the door, the dozing prankers of the Red Army were awakened by a yell. "MITHROS'S SHIELD!"

To their great delight, they were not the only ones awakened. From behind the shining barriers, they watched as, one by one, the members of the Blue Army opened their doors and gasped in surprise as they were doused by a bucket of syrup. The Red Team roared with laughter as Lord Wyldon rushed down the hall, still in his nightshirt.

"By all the gods, Mindelan, what is going on here?"

Kel stood and bowed. "My Lord, we have them under siege."

Wyldon sighed. "Thank you, Mindelan. I needed this."

At that moment, King Jonothan IV walked around the corner. "What happened? I could have sworn I heard someone yelling-" he paused.

Then he turned and called, grinning. "Thayet! You may want to see this for yourself!" The Queen hurried around the corner. When she saw the Red Army camped out at the 'borders', and the Blue Army standing there in their nightshirts, dripping with syrup, she giggled, and turned to Kel. "My compliments, General Keladry."

King Jonothan also complimented her, then turned to Lord Wyldon and said, "I believe I owe you some money?"

**Sorry this was so short, next one will be longer. If you're really desperate for my writing, (ha ha), you can check out my blog ****.com**

**Or just wait til tomorrow. Please R&R!**


	7. Chapter 7

**This chapter is dedicated to my first reviewers, (I GOT REVIEWS!) SAMMYFISH and DANIELLE OF EBONY CREEK. Thanks so much you guys, you rock!**

Chapter 7: Siege

Joren of Stone Mountain paced in his bedchamber, fuming. How dare she? How dare they? Wave a white flag of surrender…as if.

Joren of Stone Mountain did not surrender. He pulled on his breeches and tunic and strode to the door, ready to tell that Mindelan _girl_ exactly what she could do with her white flag of surrender.

He pushed open the door and heard something clank. He looked up…and was hit full in the face by a wave of sticky brown syrup. Gasping, he stumbled forward and landed flat on his back.

"Mithros's spear," he mumbled, gazing up at the ceiling, "what was that?"

He looked at his sticky fingers. He sniffed. Oil.

He looked up, to find the Red Army, King Jonothan, Queen Thayet, Lord Wyldon, and the rest of his army gazing at him. Queen Thayet brought her hand up to her face and smothered a giggle. Mindelan cocked an arrow. She pointed it at him. "As General of the Red Army, I bid you to yield."

Joren sat up, wincing. "Never."

She grinned. "I hoped you'd say that." She let the arrow fly, and Joren's eyes widened. Was she actually shooting at him? Then the arrow hit him, right in the stomach. It exploded, sending greenish-yellow ooze all over his tunic. He sniffed the shirt. "Ugh."

The Lump put her hands on her hips. "Now do you yield?"

Joren stood up. He glared at her. "No. I refuse to yi-"

He was cut off by his second in command. "We yield," Garvey mumbled, staring at his feet.

"What was that?" she asked, sliding her Lump-face on.

Garvey stood straighter. "I, second in command of the Blue Army, do hereby yield." He bowed, and stared at Joren, daring him to disagree.

She nodded, and waved an arm at her soldiers. Then she crossed her arms.

"Here are our terms. Number one, you can't prank us until midday tomorrow. Number two, you can't tamper with our food again. Number three…" she hesitated and turned to Queenscove. "I am not doing number three, Neal."

"What?" he yelped, "Majority rules!"

She put her hands on her hips. "Yes, but-"

He crossed his arms. "No buts. Number three, you all go a round against Kel…with the staff."

Garvey paled, but muttered, "Fine."

The rest of the Blue Army glared mutinously at him.

The Lump nodded to the Prince and Queenscove. "Okay, you can lift it."

Their Majesties and Wyldon left the hall. Joren spat on the ground in front of her, then turned on his heel and went into his room.

o-O-o

The stables were silent. Lord Wyldon strode back and forth, gazing at each page in turn.

Finally he said, "Today, you learn how to plan a battle strategy. I know that you have a class, but today you will put that training to use. I will join the Blue Army in their strategizing, and His highness will join the Red Army. Then, tomorrow, you will engage in battle against each other, beginning at the fourth bell. Mindelan will defend the castle, and Stone Mountain will attack. You meet in the usual places."

He paused. "You may have a free bell."

The pages cheered and hurried out of the stables. Wyldon leaned back against Heart's stall and sighed. He rubbed her neck. "What do you think, girl? Are we doing right?" Cavall's Heart whickered and nudged his hand with her nose. He sighed again.

"Sir?"

He looked up. Keladry. "Yes, Mindelan?"

She locked her hands behind her back and stood straight. "I-I just wanted to say thank you, My Lord."

He smiled. "You're welcome, Mindelan. Now go and do whatever it is you're going to do now, don't hang around all day."

She bowed and turned to leave.

"Mindelan," he called.

She stopped. "Yes, Milord?"

"What are you going to do?"

She blushed. "I'm going to get someone to fence with me. I need the practice."

He nodded. "Good. Go on, then."

He watched her go, thinking, _Gods, I would she had been born a boy._

o-O-o

Kel dodged Neal's sword, and parried with a sweeping cut of her own.

Neal leaped back, thrust forward, and ended the match, his practice sword pressed at her neck. She held up her hands and let her sword fall. "I yield."

He nodded. "Good. If we had kept up much longer, I would have fainted away."

She bit her lip, then said, "Again?"

He drew back. "No. No, no, no, no. Didn't I just tell you that I was tired?"

She squinted. "Yes. And?"

He sighed. "And, I don't want to be publicly humiliated in such a manner."

Kel grinned. "Okay. Do you want a staff fight instead?"

Neal threw up his hands. "I give up! We should get going anyway, it wouldn't do for the general to be late to a meeting with the king."

She sighed, Yamani mask firmly back in place. "Let's go, then."

She put away her sword. "Coming?"

He bowed. "Would I leave a lady to fend for herself in the halls of this cruel, unforgiving castle?"

Kel looked at him. "A lady, no. Me? Probably."

He gasped, pretending to be offended. "Stabbed in the back by my best friend. I'm stricken to the core."

She flicked his head. "Let's go."

**Bit shorter than I wanted, please R &R!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Ooh, I left this WAY too long, I meant to update ages ago. Forgive me? Please? **

**Oh, by the way, this is totally for my latest reviewers, Royal Ice Princess, Sesshyspuppysbff, Escapedslave99...!**

Chapter 8: A Council of War

Kel stopped running and held out her hand. Neal stopped as well. "What is it?"

She put her hands on her hips. "My second in command is about to go to a war council with the king, and he looks as though he's been attacked by a hurrok."

Neal arched an eyebrow. "Well, my dear General, you may want to start practicing what you preach."

"What?" she said, a hand drifting to her hair, "What's wrong?"

"Well," he said, smirking, "Apart form the messy hair, dusty clothes, and sweaty face, you're fine."

She bit her lips. "Do I look horrible?"

He shook his head. "We're fine. He'll just pass it off as our infallible determination to better ourselves and our fighting skills."

Kel smiled and knocked on the door. When there was no answer, she pushed it open to find King Jonothan poring over a map. "Your Majesty," she said, bowing.

"Keladry, Nealan," he said. "Come over here and tell me what you think of this plan."

They hurried over to see the map of the castle. The king had marked off sentry spots and archer's positions in red, then left lots of little blue dots, enchanted so they were moveable. "Your Majesty," Neal said, blinking. "This is brilliant."

Kel nodded, then said, "Majesty, the battle should start tomorrow."

King Jonothan nodded and glanced at her. "But…?"

She fixed her Yamani face on firmly. "But what if we went out tonight to…ah…fix it up?"

"Keladry," said the King, smiling, "I do believe you are the brilliant one."

o-O-o

Kel headed down into the forest. Dressed in black, with her hair pulled back in a tight horsetail, she felt like a Shang Warrior. She reached into her sack and pulled out a nearly invisible rope. She strung it around a few trees, ensuring that no one would be able to pass. If they even tried, they would be sprayed with skunk odor. In any case, she felt certain that her army and weapons were superior. A few feet away, Neal was doing the same thing she was. King Jonothan was busy setting traps, similar to boar pits, but filled with mud. Their lines of defenses were set, their weapons were sound, and they were ready. She tied a final knot, then crept silently back to the castle.

o-O-o

The teams assembled in the mess hall, all wearing red or blue tunics. Lord Wyldon stood and shouted, "Generals, step forward!"

Kel and Joren stepped forward and bowed. Lord Wyldon handed them each a scroll. Kel's was tied with a red ribbon, Joren's with a blue. Joren started to open his, but Lord Wyldon cleared his throat. "You will open these as soon as your armies are positioned."

Joren flushed.

"Now," Wyldon said, gazing at the assembled pages, "Who's going to win?"

The teams started to cheer, until the windows started shaking in their frames. Wyldon raised a hand and they all quieted. "Now, everyone, assume your posts!"

The pages dispersed, and King Jonothan and Lord Wyldon grinned at each other.

"Well, Wyldon, who do you think is going to win?"

Wyldon rubbed his bald pate. "Keladry. Without a doubt."

King Jonothan nodded. "That's what I thought."

"Well," said Wyldon, "I guess we better go to the 'troops'."

"Likewise," said the King, and they left the hall.

o-O-o

Kel raced up the rickety stairs of the outer wall, and ripped off the string. On the paper was written,

_You are in the midst of a prank war,_

_Now, our prank, we give you these clues four._

_First, to win, you must collaborate,_

_Go to the man who guards the stone gate._

_Next, we know, you are skilled in knightly arts,_

_Now let's see how you can use your smarts-_

_An object hidden in a wooden cart,_

_Doth betray the key to a broken heart._

_Thirdly, you see, is a diamond maze,_

_Where you cannot enter, but only gaze._

_Last of all, a map of the palace we give, _

_But only you can choose where to live._

Kel's jaw dropped. Not only did this mean leaving the fighting-but how was she going to figure all that out?

She waved Neal over absentmindedly, still focused on the clues.

The stone gate was obvious, the entrance to the castle, and she was sure there were carts all over the place…

Neal grimaced. "Kel?"

She started. "Oh, Mithros, I didn't notice you…what do you think?"

"Do you really want to know?"

"Yes!"

The library."

She stared at him. "What?"

"Well," Neal said, "This is King Jonothan we're dealing with here, it's not going to be a real cart or maze, and, although you could try the palace gate, it's most likely a legend or something."

Kel sighed. History and such were _not _her strong points.

She shrugged and said, "Well, I guess you're in charge now, Neal."

She headed off to the palace gate, where a rather puffed-up young soldier was standing and guarding the door. "H-hello," she said, quailing under the cold glare he sent her. "I-I'm Keladry of Mindelan, and I was wondering if you had any clues for-for me?"

He smirked at her. "Why would I have something for you, page?"

"Oh, for-" she shook her head. A conservative. _And _he thought she was a _boy. _No wonder the sheet said 'collaborate', this man really did view her as an enemy.

"I am the general of the Red Army," she said, "And I am here by order of King Jonothan."

He smirked. "Nice try. I'm only waiting for a boy and a girl-then my shift is over. Meanwhile, you've probably made me miss them. Go away."

Kel blinked. He couldn't mean her and Joren!

o-O-o

Joren glared at the weasel of a sentry. "Are you sure you don't have anything-any clues-for me?"

The man sneered at him. "Yes, I'm sure, little boy, I'm just waiting for a girl and a boy and then I can leave. Run along and stop bothering me."

A girl and a boy? It couldn't be him…and the Lump?

o-O-o

Kel and Joren smashed into each other as they both raced into the courtyard. They stumbled back, moaning. "Ah, my nose," Kel groaned.

Joren winced. "My jaw!"

Kel straightened herself. "I think we need to-"

"I guess we have to-" Joren interrupted her.

"Do we need to go together?"

Joren nodded. "That's the first clever thing I've heard you say in three years, Lump."

"My name is Keladry!"

"Fine, Kel-_aaa_-dry. If I were you I'd put on a skirt-you might be mistaken for a boy…again."

"Oh, you're a fine one to talk, _Lady _Joren."

"Shut up!"

They glared at each other. Finally, Keladry stuck out her hand. "Truce?"

"Truce."

They shook hands, and Kel smiled triumphantly. _I knew it, _she thought, _It took three years, but I finally got him to call a truce. Wonder how long that'll last._

"So," Joren said uneasily, "What should we…do?"

"I guess we should um go to him together?"

"Well how do we know that fathead won't think you're a boy again?"

"Trust me, he won't."

"How do you _know_?"

"JUST TRUST ME, ALRIGHT?"

Kel glared at him and huffed off in the direction of the palace gate. "Well, are you _coming_?"

He walked after her. "Touchy."

They went up to the gate and Joren glared at the guard. "I believe you were waiting for us?"

"Me?" The guard drawled, "Why would I be waiting for you two?"

Joren opened his mouth, but Keladry treaded on his foot. "Wha-?"

"Please, sir," Kel said, sweetly, "My _friend _and I heard that you had a clue for us…could you give it to us, please?"

She batted her eyelashes at him, and the man grinned at her. "Well, I don't see why not, miss."

Joren looked at Kel, revolted. She shrugged at him. "Really?" she asked the guard, "Would you do that for us, really?"

He nodded and pulled a single scroll, tied with a purple ribbon, out of his bag. "Here you go!"

Kel thanked him, and they left. They raced off into the courtyards. "Well," Joren panted, "I guess I was wrong. You're not a lump, you're a court lady!"

Kel flushed. "Shut up."

He smirked at her. "Fine…miss."

Kel yanked off the ribbon and dropped it. Joren picked it up. Smiling slightly, she opened the scroll and read,

"_You may have worked together, now,_

_A wondrous thing indeed._

_What cooperation can do,_

_To help a fellow in need._

_Now, since you've collaborated,_

_While our ideas may be outdated,_

_To both of you, a clue we hand,_

_To see who's best, in all the land,_

_Just remember, Generals,_

_That purple is quite apropos._

They looked at each other. Joren snorted. "General Keladry…"

"Yes, General Joren?" she asked, politely.

"What is purple?"

"A color…"

"You know, I'd figured that out for myself, funnily enough. I mean, what does it _represent_?"

"I don't know."

He rolled his eyes. "They're trying to get us to work together. Get it? Red and Blue make purple?"

Kel smirked. "Oh, I see. I'm off to the library, friend."

"I'll come with you, friend."

Kel sighed. She'd never get anything done with _Joren _hanging around her.

She started off to the library, ignoring Joren as coldly as she knew how. She reached the heavy oaken door and pulled it open She looked around the library, her eye finally landing on a fat, leather book. She picked it up-or tried to. "Unh! Mithros, it's heavy."

Joren was lounging in one of the comfortable armchairs, grinning. "Need help, friend?"

Kel glared at him. He got up and lifted the book with one hand. He dropped it on the table.

"Don't much see what you want with that dusty old thing, anyway. And…you're welcome."

"Thank you," Kel said, grudgingly.

Joren laid back in his chair, whistling annoyingly. Kel gritted her teeth, and, conscious of the fact that there was very little time left, began to flip through the pages.

_And the fair maiden did sail away,and her smitten prince did follow,and she locked her heart and threw away the key-_

**Ha ha ha ha...if you want more you need to review! **


	9. Chapter 9

**I am so proud of you guys! Thank you for reviewing, Escapedslave99, Danielle of Ebony Creek and Sammyfish! You rock!**

Chapter 9: A Mild Annoyance

Kel gritted her teeth. Joren was still there, humming, and she had still not found anything about a cart, key, heart, or maze.

"Find anything yet?" Joren asked, lazily.

"No," Kel said, evenly, "But I'm sure that your team is not benefiting from their _general_ sitting around and pestering me."

Joren ignored her. Kel sighed and turned back to the story she was reading-one about a princess who sailed across a sea to lock herself up in a tower. She placed the key in a wooden carriage and sent it off to Tortall, her birthplace. _Cart. Key. _Her heart broke in two, and only when her true love returned to save her, would it mend. _Broken heart._ Kel's own, unbroken heart leapt. But what did it mean? How could she find it, if it was true? She glanced down at the commentary. _Miles of Olau maintains that although this is a story, it is actually based upon fact, a real Tortallan princess who was exiled for secretly marrying a farmer. _"Myles of Olau." The Lioness's stepfather. She closed the book and headed out the door. Joren, snoring in his chair, never stirred. _'Well,' _she thought, smugly, _'That's him out of my way.'_

o-O-o

The door slammed. Joren sat up. "Sir Myles?" he said, grinning, "Thank you, Keladry."

He flicked open to the page number that he'd been careful to remember-_893._ "I suppose I'm cheating," he said to himself.

He grinned. "I'm brilliant."

o-O-o

Neal paced back and forth around the courtyard. "What is taking so long?"

"Well," replied Seaver, calmly, "I suppose that they're preparing."

"Preparing for war?"

"Yes."

"Gods," he said, smacking the wall, "Why did Kel have to go, I don't like this, I'm not any good at this sort of thing!"

o-O-o

Kel raced to Sir Myles' office. With any luck, he would be there, and she could be done with this whole silly mess. She knocked on the door. "Yes?" called a mild voice from inside, "Who is it?"

"Keladry of Mindelan, sir," she said, heart thumping.

"Yes, yes, enter."

She pushed open the door. Sir Myles was sitting at his desk, poring over some dusty looking scrolls. "Well?"

"Ah, sir," she said, "I was wondering what you could tell me about a princess?"

Myles sat up. "A princess?"

"Yes, sir, a princess of Tortall, who was exiled for marrying a farmer?"

"Ah!" Myles exclaimed, shuffling some papers, "You are speaking of the famed princess Amalie, are you not? Yes, yes…she was the third in line to the throne, and her father, King Armand the First,"

"But sir," Kel interrupted, "Can you tell me about her key?"

"Yes…yes…I have, in fact, discovered several relics which could pertain to the theory that this is, in fact, not myth. I have found, in Olau's ruins, a key, exactly like the one shown in all the documents on this story…would you like to see it?"

Kel beamed at the spymaster. "Of course!"

Myles opened a drawer and took out a wooden case. He handed it to Kel, who opened the lid and saw…a key. A boring, old, dusty, broken key. "Oh, sir," she said, forcing enthusiasm into her voice, "This is…great."

Sir Myles chuckled. "Don't worry, Keladry, I have what you are truly looking for. Here you are. Run along, before Sir Joren catches up with you."

Kel smiled, and accepted the slip of paper that he had handed her.

"Good luck, Page Keladry!"

o-O-o

Kel examined the paper that Sir Myles had given her. For a moment she thought it was the wrong paper. It was covered in ink blots, and creased, and even a little torn. She turned it over. There, it read,

_You have found the key,_

_Now enter the maze. _

_Of diamond and crystal,_

_Past a smoky haze. _

_Grows in the ground,_

_Cared for by day,_

_Were you to discover-_

_Ere, home of fey._

Fey. Fey. Where was Neal when she needed him? He was the one who was good at this, he could find the maze. Fey Maze. Maze Fey. How could diamonds and crystal grow in the ground? They weren't like trees…or flowers…flowers. The king's garden had a maze.

Made of flowers. What were they called? Neal had told her in his tour of the palace, three years earlier. What had he said? _'They're lilies, and roses, and asters. But the gardeners call them pink diamonds, and white rubies and such. It gets real foggy here in the evening and afternoon, so they need to trim and water them really early. Some people say that fairies used to live here."_

Kel nearly jumped for joy. She'd got it. The second to last clue. She raced to the King's garden. Gardeners clipping weeds and stray leaves looked up in surprise as a gangly page raced past them to the maze. Hanging on a thorn were two slips of yellowed paper. Kel grabbed it. A rough sketch of the palace greeted her. A note was scrawled in the corner.

_If you choose right you may win. Two attacks are being waged. One is important. One is a decoy. Choose. _

Two areas of the map were highlighted in red. The gates and the stables.

A little voice in her mind said, _Come on. What idiot attacks the stables? That's why you put your weakest men there._

_**Well,**_ said another little voice, _**maybe they counted on your weakest men being in the stables. After all, the stables have access to the gates, don't they?**_

_No!_ interjected the first voice, _They definitely attacked the gates. They'd be stupid not to._

_**But you would expect them to attack the gates.**_

_But they would expect you to expect them to attack the gates, so they would expect you to guard the stables, so they would, as expected, attack the gates!_

_**What?**_

Kel shook her head. The stables, she decided. The stables.

o-O-o

"Divert concentration to the stables!" she shouted, racing up the stairs. "They're going to attack the stables!"

"Oh, Kel!" shouted Neal, "Thank Mithros you're here! They've just stopped their attack-I think they're retreating."

"No," Kel panted, clutching her side, "They're…going…to…the …stables."

"What?" Neal asked, bemused. "Why would they do that?"

"Access to the gates from inside the palace," she said, "From the stables."

"MITHROS'S-" Neal stopped himself. "Roald, Prosper, Owen, Faleron, Jared, Benjamin, Cal, and Dan, head to the stables, now!"

"Now!" Kel hollered, and the appointed boys ran.

"Neal, I'm going. You stay here in case they come back."

"What? I want to go! I'm one of your only mages, in case you've forgotten."

"Fine! Iden," she said, pointing to a second year page, a reliable young boy with the same sandy curls and mischievous gray eyes as Owen, "You're in charge. Neal says so."

Neal glared at her, as Iden turned to him and saluted. "Yessir, General sir!"

"You'll be fine."

"Yessir!"

"Don't worry."

"Nossir!"

"Stop calling me sir."

"Yessir!"

"Gods, Kel," he complained to her, as they crouched in a stall, "He's as bad as you were on your first day. 'Yessir, Neal. Nossir, Neal', " he mimicked, and she smacked his arm.

"OW!"

"Shhh, oh great mage," she whispered, "You'll blow our cover."

"Oh, I think it's too late for that," said a cold voice, "In fact, I'd say you're… out?"

They turned. Joren of Stone Mountain stood behind them, clutching a sword covered in blue chalk. He grinned. "Thanks for the help, miss," he said, nodding at Kel.

"Miss?" Neal asked, stalling for time. "What happened to 'Lump', Stone Mountain?"

"Oh," Joren said, delicately, "Lady Keladry demonstrated her feminine side to a soldier earlier…as a favor to me."

"Wha-?" Neal gaped at her.

"I did not, Joren," Kel said, strongly. "I used my own skills to get what I needed. So shove it."

"Oh, that's not very nice, Keladry. Especially considering that, as we speak, my soldiers are sneaking up on your men, and tying them up…and breaking into the palace to defeat your pathetic army, while _I_ single-handedly kill you two…thanks for leaving me the book, by the way, Mindelan. I was not asleep, and heard you working out the clue. From there it was easy."

Kel winced. They were going to lose, and it was all her fault.


	10. Chapter 10

_**Ding, ding, ding…**_**does anyone else hear the 'I have no life' bell? Or is that just me? Thanks to all of those who commented...and remember, comments+me=updates. :)**

Chapter 10: A Lion Cub

Joren smirked. "Bye, friend."

Kel darted forward, and, kicking his legs out from under him, said, "Bye, friend."

He fell backwards, landing in a pile of hay and manure.

Kel drew her sword, which was covered in red chalk. She swiped his tunic delicately with the flat of the blade, leaving a big, red 'K' on his chest. She knelt down. "Goodbye, General Joren."

She stood and turned. Neal smirked at the fallen boy. "You're out."

"It doesn't matter," Joren said, shrilly, "Your men are all dead, and my men have stormed the castle. You lost."

"Oh, yeah?" said a boy, pushing open the door, "These men?"

Faleron was standing there, smudged with blue, dirt on his knees, but behind him stood eighteen pages, all with a big, red, chalky 'K' on their chests.

The rest of Kel's men were standing around them. Owen grinned at her. "My lady General," he said, "May I tie up the prisoner?"

"Oh…oh yeah?" Joren faltered, "Well, you haven't beat us yet. I sent other men to the gates. No way that shrimp Iden can hold them off."

"Oh, yeah?" Owen said, sitting down on Joren's back, rather harder than he needed to, "Well, that shrimp happens to be my cousin, and he can hold up pretty well on his own, let me tell you."

"Against Garvey?" Joren asked.

"Yeah," Owen said. He turned to Kel. "Can't he?"

Kel nodded. "Of course. Iden'll be fine, don't worry."

"Now what?"

"Now," Kel said, putting her hands on her hips, "we go and help Iden conquer the blue army, and lead our men to victory!"

Neal whooped, and Owen finished tying Joren up. "Let's go!" he shouted, and led the charge to the gates.

o-O-o

The red army was sitting on the ground playing waa, a reflex game that Eda Bell had taught them. All the boys sat in a circle, and one person started. He would clasp his hands together and point at another boy, while crying 'waa!' Then the boy whom he had pointed at said 'waa,' while the boys on either side of him flung their clasped hands towards the boy's stomach, and he had to block. It was funny, distracting, and very difficult.

"What is going on here?" Neal demanded, striding into the middle of their circle.

"Waa!" cried Iden, throwing his hands up, and elbowing the two boys next to him.

"I can see that!" Neal cried, "But what about the battle?"

"They never came," responded Jared of Undine's Hill, "Waa!"

"What do you mean, they never came?" demanded Joren, "Of course they came!"

"No," said Warric, "They didn't."

"But…" Kel thought furiously. "Only you can decide where to live…"

"What?" Neal asked, "What does that mean?"

"It was one of the clues," Kel said, vaguely. "Only you can decide where to live."

She stood up straight and called, "Mindelan!"

o-O-o

Nothing happened. Joren snickered, and Neal looked at her oddly. "I don't think that's quite what the clue meant, Kel."

"Well, I don't know what it does mean, then," she said, "Because that's my home fief, and other than that a knight doesn't live anywhere, really. He-I mean she-just travels."

"Yeah, I guess," Neal said, shrugging.

"Well, there isn't much time for guessing," Owen shouted, "here come the Blues!"

The boys immediately stopped playing and stood up, grasping their weapons.

"Iden, Warric, Jared, Merric, Neal, and Seaver, take the south wall!" Kel shouted, "Roald and Owen-" she trailed off. Leading the charge was…Alanna the Lioness.

After three years, she would finally meet the Lioness, and they were on opposite sides.

Roald saw that she was not going to be much help for a while, and continued ordering soldiers around.

There was a bang and the sound of several pairs of feet rushing up a staircase. Then there was a loud clank and the slow, sticky sound of a bucket overturning. "Uh-oh," said a voice, and then there were yells of disgust…but the door opened.

Standing in the doorway were three blue soldiers, Cleon among them, and the Lioness.

All were covered from head to toe with…

"Manure," said the Lioness, dangerously, "You…dumped…buckets of…manure…on us."

Neal snickered.

The Lioness drew her sword. It was coated in blue chalk.

"Well, Keladry?" she said, whipping the sword around, "Are you as good as they say?"

"Well," Kel answered, drawing her own sword, "they say that I'm best with a pole arm."

"Let's see!"

Their swords clashed together, red and blue dust flying everywhere. Around them, soldiers battled fiercely. Ooze arrows flew everywhere, leafmess bombs exploded left and right, spraying everyone with leaves, pinecones, mud, chalk, and dirt.

The two females weaved around each other in a complicated and beautiful dance. The thin metal swords were just blurs in the air, blue and red blurs.

Alanna danced blithely out of Kel's reach-twisting and turning. It looked effortless, but there were already beads of sweat forming on her pale brow.

Keladry cut the older woman off at every turn, panting and swerving, she backed Alanna into a corner.

All the boys stopped their fight to watch.

Alanna smiled and held up a hand. Kel lowered the point of her sword, and the Lioness danced around her and put the flat of her blade an inch from Kel's neck.

"Never believe an untrustworthy opponent," she said, grinning.

Kel poked her in the stomach and shoved her sword into the opening under her arm.

"Never get too noble to cheat," she responded, Yamani mask firmly in place.

Their swords crossed. They looked at each other, each too stubborn to back down.

Finally Kel took a step back and bowed. "Lioness."

Alanna smiled at her. "Keladry. Well fought."


	11. Chapter 11

**HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA . **

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Chapter 11: May The Best Man Win

Kel bowed. She was cleaned up, and dressed neatly in a russet red tunic. Her hair was neatly combed, and her face was scrubbed clean of all traces of chalk and dirt. Likewise, Joren of Stone Mountain was cleaned up.

Neal stood next to her, hair lying flat for once, also in a deep red tunic.

The king was sitting on his throne, robed in deep purple robes, crown in hands.

He glared at it for a while, the stones glinting and reflecting light onto his chiseled face.

After a long pause, King Jonothan looked up at them. "It was close," he said, slowly.

"Very close."

Kel caught her breath. She noticed Neal stiffen slightly.

"It was very close," repeated King Jonothan. "And I have to say, for a while there, the winner was uncertain, especially," he paused for a moment, glancing at Kel, "when Keladry conceded to the Lioness. But Alanna, over there," he gestured toward the Lioness who was standing in the corner, trying to look inconspicuous, "said that Keladry would have won, had she not conceded."

Kel's eyes widened momentarily. The red team murmured amongst themselves.

"However," King Jonothan said, loudly. The teams quieted themselves. "However, the scores were-are-still close."

Lord Wyldon stepped forward. He was carrying a single sheet of creamy paper in his hand. "The scores are as follows," he said, "Three thousand and twelve to Four thousand. And the Red Army leads."

There was silence for a moment, then the red team started to cheer. They yelled and jumped and stamped their feet, and King Jonothan stood up. "Yes, yes, congratulations, team red. Now, I said that there would be no punishment handed down."

Kel bit her lips.

"However," said King Jonothan, "I am afraid that both Keladry of Mindelan and Nealan of Queenscove will both receive a day of punishment."

"But sir!" Neal cried, scowling.

King Jonothan held up a hand. "They will be forced to miss a full day of their studies, and instead will have to have a Market Day."

Kel grinned. Neal whooped. The King stepped off his throne, and bowed to them both.

"Congratulations on a war well fought," he said, "now if you'll excuse me, I have some bets to collect on."

o-O-o

Neal and Kel strolled leisurely through the market. Kel was holding a newly purchased pair of boots, a beautiful, soft, caramel colored pair, and Neal was carrying a large fairy twist*, and a small package. Kel asked him repeatedly what was in it, but he just shook his head mysteriously, and wouldn't tell.

They had had a lovely day so far, and Kel was not anxious to go back to the palace. After they had walked for several minutes, Neal stopped in front of an inn, and said, "Shall we get something to eat?"

Kel bit her lip. "It's not exactly proper for a girl…"

"Oh, like you care about proper," Neal scoffed. But he took off his hat and put it on her head. "There. Now you're a boy."

He led her in to the inn and chose a table. They sat down, and he said, "What do you want?"

"Um," she said, pursing her lips, "maybe a juice? Grape juice, if they have it."

"Is that all?" he asked, worriedly, "Don't you want anything else?"

"No," she answered. "What about you, though?"

"Oh, I don't know."

They sat in silence for a few moments.

Presently, Kel said, "What's this place called, anyway?"

"Oh," Neal answered, " It's 'The Jugged Hare'."

"Mm."

She wrinkled her brow, trying to remember where she had heard the name before.

"The King's Own spends a lot of time here." He brightened. "Did I ever tell you that I have a cousin in the Own? His name's Domitan of Masbolle, and he's-"

"Brilliant, handsome and clever-I know," said a deeper voice, laughingly.

Neal whipped around. "Dom? What're you doing here?"

A laughing, blue eyed, black haired sergeant stood behind Neal, along with three other men, all in uniforms of the King's Own.

"I-wha-you-I-how-?"

Dom sat down at the table, ignoring his cousin. Turning to Kel, he said, "We're not going to talk to Meathead until he can form a coherent sentence, alright, lad?"

"Meathead?" Kel asked, grinning.

Neal was still stammering.

"Childhood nickname," Dom said, laconically. "But he prefers _Sir_ Meathead."

The other men chuckled. "Oh," Dom said, "These are some of my men-Wolset, Lerant, and Vanget. Third Company. King's Own. Men, this is…" he trailed off.

"I don't know you, do I, lad? What's your name?"

Kel smiled and took off her hat. "Keladry of Mindelan, Sirs."

Dom blushed violently. "Oh, I'm…I'm sorry."

Kel shook her head. "Not the first time, and I was trying to pass as a boy."

Neal smiled triumphantly. "See? My disguise worked!"

"Yeah, yeah, Meathead," Dom said, "Don't get too excited."

The other three men sat down. They talked and laughed amongst themselves, until the serving girl came with their drinks. She was also carrying a covered tray. She placed it on the table in front of Neal, and left.

"Nealan, you pig," Dom said, "Hungry?"

Neal shook his head, then burst into a loud, slightly off-key version of 'Happy Birthday'.

Kel blushed red. She had thought that he had forgotten.

He uncovered the tray to reveal a chocolate cake, her favorite. He also handed her the package. She unwrapped it, and found another layer of green tissue. She peeled that open to reveal a small wooden locket, with the words, '_She shall conquer nations'_ carved into it. "It's what the book, 'Lady Knights and a History of Their Histories' says about the first lady Knight," he explained. She opened it up, to find a small bundle of herbs packed in there. "Rosemary, for luck, Basil, for guidance, Arrrowroot, for prosperity, Sage, for love, Mint, for health, Lavender, for, well, because it smells good."

Kel's eyes filled with tears. She hugged him, then slipped it over her head.

Dom, who had been watching quietly for some moments, said, "So can I have cake?"

This ruined the mood, but Kel laughed and cut pieces for them all.

o-O-o

"And _you_ thought I had forgotten." Neal said, for the eighth time.

"No, I didn't," Kel protested.

"Ignore him," Dom suggested, "I've seen him like this before-it doesn't do any good to talk to him."

"How often does he get this way? It was only juice!"

"Oh," sadi Dom, shifting uncomfortably, "Only when I spike his juice with liquor."

"What!"

"Liquor."

"Oh, for-"

"It wears off soon, don't worry!"

"I'm not worried about his being drunk, I'm worried he'll start to sing!"

Dom snorted into his cup, as did the other men.

"We have to go, anyway," Kel said, "But thank you."

"Bye."

"Goodbye."

"See you."

Kel grabbed Neal's collar and hauled him out the door, as Dom, Lerant, Wolset, and Vanget snickered. She steered him to a barrel full of cool water. She shoved his head into it and held it there for a moment, then pulled him up.

Soaking wet, half-drunk, completely confused, Neal glared at her. "I _got_ you a present!"

She nodded. "I know, and I love it, but it's time to go back to the palace."

Neal looked around. "Huh?"

She decided to take Dom's advice, and just dragged him up to the palace. Hopefully, Duke Baird could take this stupor off of him.

o-O-o

"He WHAT?" Neal yelled, clutching his head.

"Your father said the same thing," Kel responded, "And don't yell, it'll make your head hurt more."

Neal sighed. "Some birthday I gave you."

"No," Kel said, "It was great. Really."

She hugged him one armed, since the other hand was holding a cup of strong green tea.

"Are you sure Dom didn't spike your drink, also?" Neal asked, "You? Showing emotions?"

Kel blushed again. "Absolutely certain."

"Kel-" Neal said, "I didn't do anything odd while I was…inebriated, did I?"

"No-I mean, you kept on protesting that I should eat a miniature purple hippopotamus, but no. Why?"

Neal looked away and took a large gulp of his boiling hot tea. He coughed, and, eyes streaming, replied, "No reason."

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	12. Chapter 12

**Thanks to Aria657, Shadowave, and x-LinaNumairsri-x for your wonderful reviews.**

**AHEM. This is a birthday update for myself, (happy birthday, em!) and I am also updating 'Lady of the Own', and starting a new story. So it's my birthday present for you. If that makes sense.**

Chapter 12: Complications.

Kel stretched. She looked up at the ceiling, and yawned, before turning back to her breakfast of fruit and a biscuit. She nibbled halfheartedly at the biscuit.

"Kel?" Neal said, "Do you know that man over there? He's staring at you."

She looked up. There, by the head table, was her eldest brother, Anders. He was talking with Lord Wyldon, gesturing frantically.

"Yes," she replied, evenly, "That's my eldest brother. His name is Anders." She kept her voice carefully under control, but inside she was fighting a torrent of unsettling emotions.

Anders was her favorite brother, but he was injured, and hardly ever left the Mindelan estates.

She did not stand up. She chewed her apple slowly and deliberately, conscious of the fact that both Anders and Neal were watching her intently.

"Well," said Neal, waving his arms dramatically, "Aren't you going to go and say hello?"

"No," Kel said, "I think he's busy. He'll come over when he can."

"What happened to his leg?" asked Faleron, curiously.

"He got hurt in the Immortals War," she responded, "I think a Hurrok raked him."

"Woah," Owen breathed, eyes glinting, "That's so jolly!"

They stared at him.

"What?" he asked, shrugging, "It's true."

Kel heard the distinctive _thunk _of wood on marble as her elder brother hobbled over to her. She turned slowly. He grinned at her, blond hair falling into his laughing brown eyes, tan skin creased with laugh lines. He steadied himself on a table, then held out his arms for a hug. "Kelley?"

She stood, shaking a bit. She hugged him tightly, and he pretended not to notice a few tears that leaked out of her hazel eyes.

"We need to talk," he said, quietly, "And fast."

She nodded and said, "After breakfast, then."

"No," he said. "Now."

She ignored the worried looks on her friend's faces, but stood and walked calmly out the door, her Yamani Lump mask firmly in place.

She strode out the door, followed closely by her brother. She was acutely aware of the thick silence in the hall, and of the hissing of the torches in their sconces, and of the squeak that her leather boot-soles made when she rubbed her foot against the marble floor of the corridor.

"Kelley."

She looked up at him-Kel might be tall, but Anders was six feet, nine inches, and it hurt her neck to look at him. "Yes?"

"Kelley, I need to tell you, Mama's not…"

"Not what?" she asked, her voice catching slightly.

"Mama's not doing well."

"What do you mean?"

"It's nothing so serious, Kelley, don't look at me like that, but she needs to go back to the Islands."

"Oh."

"And, she wants you to come with her."

Kel's world crashed down around her ears. She could not say no to her mother. But she would have to leave the palace, and her friends, and her training, and her teachers, and Peachblossom, and Jump, and Lalasa, and the sparrows, and…everything.

Anders was looking down at her, his face full of brotherly concern. "Kelley, you don't have to…"

"I know." She shook her head, stunned. "I just don't know what to do."

He slung his arm around her shoulders, using the other arm to maneuver his cane.

"Well, Kelley, no matter what you decide, I'll back you. You know that, right?"

"Of course I know that," she replied, forcing a smile. "I always know _that_."

o-O-o

"So, what was that about?" Neal asked, catching up to her as she jogged up the hill from the stables. "You haven't spoken hardly a word since breakfast. Is it bad?"

She nodded, then burst out, "I can't talk about it yet, Neal, not even with you. I'm sorry!"

Then she ran to the women's baths, before he could see her cry.

o-O-o

Neal cornered Ander's in the men's baths. The older man was soaking in a hot, foamy marble pool, and his eyes were closed. Neal, wrapped in a large brown towel, stood beside him. "Um, Anders, sir?"

The man opened one brown eye.

"Um, Kel's really upset. What happened? I mean, I know it's none of my business or anything, but she's my friend, and…"

Anders sat up a little. "It's good of you. She…our mother isn't well."

"Oh, no." Neal said, horrified. "How can I…what can I do?"

"Just be her friend," responded her brother, "Just be there for her."

"I will," Neal promised, "Always."

o-O-o

They all sat in Kel's bedroom, Cleon and Roald on the floor, Merric, Seaver, Esmond, and Owen at the table, and Neal, Kel, and Faleron on the bed.

Kel was instructing the two older boys in the intricacies of algebra, and though both appeared to be listening intently, Neal's mind wandered.

He had not told any of the others about Kel's mother. After all, as she often told him, _a secret told is a secret spread_. The Yamani said that, or something. Cheerful people.

But still, they were right. Kel wouldn't want him to tell, and he wasn't sure she would want him to know.

For now, he would just keep his promise. It was all he could do. After all, Kel was like a little sister to him, and he would hate for her to be angry.

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	13. Chapter 13

**Aria657 and x-LinaNumairsri-x. Thanks. You rock! **

Chapter 13: Decisions and Confessions.

Kel marched down to the practice courts.

Lord Wyldon had given them a free day, and she intended to make the most of it.

She held her glaive in front of her, and spread her feet. She threw herself into the pattern dance, losing herself in it, making the deadly swipes, cuts, and jabs with what appeared to be almost nonchalant ease.

"Well, well, well," said a voice, sneeringly. Kel turned.

There stood Joren of Stone Mountain, and his entourage. Garvey, Vinson, and Zahir were grouped around him as usual.

"Practicing with your little pigsticker?" he asked, smirking, "Guess you need the practice, what with you being sent back to the Islands, and all."

Kel almost lost her mask. "W-what are you talking about?"

"Oh, it's common knowledge by now," Joren said, "About your mother, and you being kicked out, and all."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Kel said, and turned her back on him. She picked up the glaive and continued to practice. Vinson of Genlith stepped back a bit, wincing.

"You'll kill someone, waving that pigsticker around like that, Lump," he said, in his lazy whine. "Then you'll be kicked out for sure."

Kel ignored them.

Eventually, they left, and they left a girl with a big spear and a hole in her heart.

Kel crumpled to the floor and cried. She drew her knees up to her chest and cried. Not dainty, tragic crying, but scream-you-heart-out, lung-bursting, sobs.

She had to leave the palace. She had to leave her friends, and go with her mother. But she couldn't. She couldn't do it.

Not after all her work, three years of bruises, fights, tests, hazing, insults, and hard work.

She had learned to ride a warhorse.

She used weighted weapons.

She had friends.

And she had to leave it all, and go back to the Islands.

"Hey, Kelley," said a voice, quietly, "What's wrong?"

She looked up. "What isn't wrong?" she asked, bitterly.

Anders stood there, leaning on his cane. "Tell me."

Kel buried her head in her hands, then said, "Idowango"

"What?"

"Idowango."

"Idowango?"

"I don't want to go, alright?"

She stood, and he wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders. "So don't go."

"It's not that easy!" Kel protested, looking up at him. "I can't say no to Mama, not when she's ill!"

"I know. I know."

o-O-o

Kel knocked anxiously on the door. She rapped twice, then gripped her hands behind her back. "Coming, coming."

The door opened a crack, and a pair of green eyes stared out at her. "Lo?"

"Neal, it's me, it's Kel."

"Oh. Wait." The door shut momentarily, and Kel could hear him stumbling around for a minute. Then the door opened again to reveal her best friend, hair in his eyes, barefoot, shirt on backwards, looking for all the world as though he was drunk.

"Have you been anywhere near Dom again?"

He smiled sleepily. "No, I just woke up."

"Just woke up? It's two bells after noon!"

"What?"

"Oh, but never mind that," she said, "I need to tell you something."

"What is it?"

"Oh," she said, "I can't tell you _here_, not just in the hallway."

"Well, you can't come in here," Neal said, dramatically, "Lord Wyldon would murder us both."

"So we can go down to the practice courts, or the stables. I think Peachblossom could do with some company."

Neal shuddered. "That beast needs no human company-just my arm!"

o-O-o

"Ow! Mithros's-" Neal yelped in pain as Peacahblossom bit down hard on his shoulder.

"You know," Kel said, frowning, "I think that he just likes the way that you yelp when he bites you. You shouldn't make such a fuss, _Master _Scholar."

"I suppose you think that I should hide my feelings, like you," Neal retorted, rubbing his sore shoulder, "I don't know how you manage this beast, but…"

Peachblossom snorted, and Neal backed up quickly. "Anyway," he said, "What did you need to tell me that was so important?"

"It's more of a question, really," Kel said.

"I also need to say I'm sorry, for not telling you before."

Neal shook his head. "I shouldn't have pressed you."

"But, I need to know. If, say, your father was ill, Mithros forbid, and needed to go away,"

"He would just cure himself," Neal interrupted. "Or I would. Or the Lioness. Or someone."

"But say he needed to go away," Kel continued, "and he wanted you to come with him, and give up your page training, and you had a choice, what would you choose?"

Neal thought it over.

"Well," he said, deliberately, "I don't know. I wouldn't want to leave you lot, and all, but, I mean, this is my Father we're talking about. I guess I might go. I don't know."

Kel sighed. "My mother isn't well."

"I'm sorry."

"And she wants me to come to the Yamani Isles with her, to keep her company. My father can't go, and…"

Neal gaped. "But you…your shield…you…leave?"

"Yes."

"You can't leave, Kel, you'd have to leave everything, you couldn't become a knight! You were going to be the first female squire, the first lady knight, after the Lioness!""Don't you think I know that?" she asked, "I know all that, and I'm just as worried by it as you are. But she's my mother."

"Is it serious?" he asked, tactfully.

"I don't know," she answered, "But it's not life-threatening, Anders told me. She's just got to go to the Islands for a while. For the warmth, you know."

"Mmm."

"I don't know what to do," she admitted, "I just felt so bad, about not telling you, and…and…please don't be mad!"

"I won't. I'm not, I mean. I just…Mithros, but I'll miss you!"

"I'm not going, for certain," she said, "I'm here for now, so I've just got to make do with what I have, I suppose."

Neal nodded. "Well, speaking of making do with what you have, it's practically winter now, and no boats sail during the winter. The seas are absolutely treacherous. We'll keep you here for a while yet."

Kel nodded. "I heard the weather mages are predicting snow."

"Really?"

"You like snow too much, Nealan."

"Don't call me Nealan, my least favorite aunt calls me Nealan."

"I know."

o-O-o

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"NO! NO, NO, NO, NO!"

"Please?"

Kel breathed deeply. "Nealan, I absolutely refuse to go out and have a snowball fight with you. I need to do my mathematics work."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Aw, come on, Kelley," interrupted Anders, "You know you want to."

"No! I need to do my work!"

Neal put his hands on his hips. "I am a healer."

"Ye-es," she said, uncertainly.

"I am also five years older than you."

"Yes."

"And I'm telling you, that you need to come out and have a snowball fight with us. You're stressed out! You need to relax, and have fun. Also, it's good for your reflexes."

Kel sighed. "Who else is going to be in it?"

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	14. Chapter 14

**Thanks, Shadowave and Aria657! Sorry it's so short, will try to update soon.**

Kel mentally kicked herself. "Why," she asked, "Did I let myself be dragged into this?"

"Because you can't say no to me when I pout," Neal answered.

"It was a rhetorical question, Nealan."

"I know."

"Well," she hissed, "Here's a non-rhetorical question. What in the name of all gods possessed you to put Anders and Domitan on the same team?"

Neal glared at her. "I thought they would get along!""Well," she answered, "They do. Want to hear a funny story?"

"Sure."

"Once, when I was ten, Anders, Inness, Conal Avinar and I had a snowball fight. It was Anders, Inness, and Conal versus Avinar and me. Anders rigged it so that nine buckets of snowballs fell on us…in our fort...which had a roof."

Neal paled. "That's not funny.""No," Kel said, "I guess it's not."

"Well," interrupted Merric, "It was dumb, but it was dumber to let Lord Raoul play."

"Yes," Neal admitted, "That was kind of foolish."

"Kind of?" asked Owen, incredulously.

"Foolish?" asked Roald, packing snow, "Don't you mean idiotic?"

"Yeah," Faleron said, "Or lame-brained. Take your pick."

Neal stood up indignantly. "You dare to mock my genius?"

"Yes," Faleron said, pulling him down. "Now work on the fort."

"Come on," Neal said, "Youth and skill!"

"Mmf."

"Yeah."

"Kay."

"Uh-huh."

"Right."

Neal crossed his arms and pouted. "You're all envious of my genius."

Kel rolled her eyes. "How much longer do we have, Merric?"

"Oh, about twenty minutes."

"Mithros's-!"

o-O-o

"And once, when Kelley was ten, maybe nine, we had a snowball fight, and I rigged it so that nine buckets of snowballs fell on them…inside their fort…which had a roof."

Dom roared with laughter. "You're joking!"

"No."

"Well," Dom said, wiping tears of mirth from his eyes, "I did something like that to Meathead once,"

"Who's Meathead?" Anders asked, grinning.

"Oh, Neal. Anyway, he walked out of his fort to see if we were coming, and we were all in the trees over him, and we bombed him. He looked like a snowman."

Raoul chuckled appreciatively. "Hadn't we better stockpile some more snowballs?"

"No," said Anders, grinning, "I think we'll be fine."

o-O-o

"Let's review the teams," Faleron said, with an air of forced calm.

"Me, Kel, Merric, Roald, Owen, and Neal against Domitan, Anders, Lord Raoul, and who?"

Neal shook his head. "That's it. They didn't want anybody else."

"We are so dead," moaned Kel.

"Okay," Neal said, "Rule number one. In the middle of a snowball fight, never walk out of the fort to see if they are going to throw snowballs at you. Ever."

"Um, Neal," Owen said, confusedly, "Why would we do that?"

Neal shrugged. "I don't know."

"Tell me you haven't done that," Faleron said, grinning. "Please, tell me you haven't done that."

"Only once," protested Neal. "And they hadn't thrown a snowball in two hours, and I-"

Roald chuckled, then blushed. "Sorry."

"No problem," Neal sighed, "I'm used to it."


	15. Chapter 15

**Thanks to Aria657!**

Chapter 15: Unsure

"I'm freezing, bored, and hungry. Can we _please_ go and find out where they are?"

"No," Neal said, adamantly, "I already told you. They will hammer us with snowballs. We will all sustain frostbite. We will all sustain ridicule. And you'll all blame me!"

"No, I won't!" argued Owen, "I just want to go _do_ something! It's pointless, sitting here."

"So sing a song," Neal said, sarcastically. "Just don't go out."

o-O-o

"When do you think they'll realize that we're not coming?" Dom asked.

"I'd say about dusk," said Anders, grinning.

"I'd bet a noble on two bells after," Lord Raoul said.

"I'll take that bet!" Dom said. "One gold noble!""You're on," Raoul said, "Now pass the cocoa."

o-O-o

"I'm telling you," insisted Faleron, "They're not coming!"

"Yes, they are," Neal said, "Dom did this to me last time! As soon as we go out, we'll be pelted with hundreds of snowballs."

"Yes, maybe so," Kel said, "but it's one bell til dusk, and I'm frozen."

"Yeah," Owen said, "I'd rather be hit with snowballs than be bored."

"Fine!" Neal exclaimed, dramatically. "It's your funeral!"

Owen crawled out of the fort. "Hello?" he called, "Is anyone there?"

A snowball struck him in the face. "OW!" he yelped, and blindly reached down to scoop up a handful of snow.

"Yah!" jeered a tall, thin boy, tossing another snowball. "Yah!"

"Come on, Jesslaw," called another boy, "Give it your best shot!"

Kel gasped. "That's _Joren,_" she said, "Not Dom or Anders."

"Wha-?"

"But why would Joren ambush us here?" Roald said, practically.

"Does he ever need a reason?" Merric growled. "Come on, we have to go pound him!"

"It's just him and Garvey, anyway," Neal said. "And possibly Zahir or Vinson."

"Not Zahir," Kel said, "He hates the cold."

"So," Neal said, "It's three to…six. The odds are in our favor!"

"Yes," Kel said, "That's what you said before."

"Well, we can't leave Owen out there by himself," Faleron said, "Come on, it's better than sitting in here."

"I guess," Kel said. "Come on."

They scrambled out of the fort, snowballs in hand.

Owen whooped when he saw them coming, and pointed to the trees. "They're behind those trees," he said, "I think they think I'm going to run away."

"Shhh!" Neal hissed, "They're probably listening to you. What's the plan?"

Merric looked at him incredulously. "Uh, win?"

Neal sighed and muttered something about "Unrefined, uneducated, simpletons," but didn't press the matter.

"Well?" Faleron shouted. "Are you too chicken to come and get us?"

"You wish, Jessbrat!" someone called back. Owen glared at the trees. "I'm not alone," he yelled. "You blasted chickens!"Roald clapped a hand over Owen's mouth, but it was too late.

Joren, Vinson, and Garvey charged at them from behind the trees, then, seeing their numbers, halted.

They looked at Joren, unsure of what to do.

Neal looked at Faleron, who looked at Kel, who looked at Roald, who looked at Merric, who looked at Owen, and grabbed his arm, too late. He had launched a snowball.

They all watched it sail, over the fort, over their heads, to smack Joren in the face.

It splattered there, over his pretty features, dripping down his tunic, and leaving his cheek bright pink and sore.

Joren glared at Owen, then picked up a snowball and sent it flying over at them, where it struck Faleron in the chest.

Then the fight began in earnest, snowballs flying everywhere, yells and jeers shaking snow from branches.

o-O-o

"My Lord. Anders. Domitan."

Kel's voice dripped ice.

The men looked around in surprise.

There stood Keladry of Mindelan in the doorway, covered in ice and snow, hair soaked, cheeks pink, clothes ripped and rumpled. A pool of water was slowly forming around her feet, and behind her stood five boys, in much the same condition that she was in.

"Ah, Keladry!" Dom said, grinning. "Cocoa?"

"Now, Kelley," Anders said, recognizing the glint in her eye, "You know it was all in fun, right?"

"Yes," Raoul added, "But…why are you covered in snow?"

Kel glared at them.

"Because Joren and his pack decided to pay us a visit," Neal said, frowning.

"But we taught them!" a voice piped up, "And it was jolly!""Shut up, Owen," said Merric, wiping the hair out of his eyes. "I'm going to kill your brother, Kel. And your cousin, Neal."

Lord Raoul grinned. "What about me, son?"

"Well," Merric said, considering. "You're a commander."

Raoul's eyes crinkled. He stood up and walked over to Kel. "Commander Keladry?"

She looked at her toes. "Yessir."

"I hope you'll forgive us for our disgraceful display of un-chivalrous conduct. I hope you will allow Sir Domitan and Sir Anders to make it up to you in any small way I order them to."

"What?" Dom yelped.

"My Lord!" Anders cried.

Kel nodded and smiled, relenting. "I guess we'd better go clean up, My Lord."

o-O-o

Kel sat, wrapped in a dressing gown on her comfortable chair, by a crackling fire. She held a cup of hot cocoa in one hand, and a letter in the other. Her brother, Anders, sat across from her.

"So have you decided?" he asked.

Kel shook her head. "No. I mean, when she writes me a letter like this, how can I say no?"

He shrugged, and she turned back to the letter…again.

_My dearest Keladry,_ it read, in her mother's neat script,

_The healers say that I am unwell, that I must go back to the Islands, for my health. I am inclined to believe what they say, for I am not feeling quite my usual self. _

_I will be lonely, for your father's work as an ambassador will keep him in Mindelan- a pressing matter has come up, requiring his immediate attention._

_He wishes to join me, but I cannot let him. It would mean giving up everything he has worked for._

_I am eager to see my Yamani friends again, but I know that I will miss the company of my darling children. This is Avinar's second year at the university- I cannot ask him to go with me. Adalie is in the thick of the marriage game, and Oranie is still at convent. Anders and Inness have their wives and families to think of, and Conal is busy with his service to the realm. _

_But you, Keladry, are my little girl, and you love the Islands, do you not? I do not wish to press you into this, but it would mean so much to me if you chose to accompany me. I do hope you will consider joining me, darling. Please, contact me as soon as possible, as the boat sails in spring, and the couriers cannot get to Mindelan from Corus during the winter, due to the heavy snows and such. _

_With all my love, _

_Your Mother, Lady Ilane of Mindelan_

Kel looked at Anders, despairingly. "I don't know what to do. I don't want to go, but how can I tell her that?"


	16. Chapter 16

**Thanks to Aria657 and TheWackedOne.**

Chapter 16: Deliberation

"Well," Anders said, practically. "You need to send her some sort of an answer."

"I know," Kel said, "But what can I say?""You could tell her the truth," Anders suggested, gently. "That you _don't _want to go."

"No, I can't," she said. "You know I can't hurt her like that."

He sighed. "Well, send her something, anyway."

He handed her a sheet of parchment and a quill. "Write," he said, "I'm going to my rooms."

She nodded and turned to the paper.

_Dearest Mama, _she wrote.

_I am well, though quite sad now that I have heard of your illness._

_When your letter arrived, we had already had quite a lot of snow, and I hope this makes it to you in time. _

_I do love the Islands, but I love page training more. _

She drew a deep breath and wrote:

_I have worked too hard to give it all up now. I agree that Papa must not go, but perhaps Oranie would be willing to leave the Convent? I know that she enjoyed our time at the Islands. I love you, and will miss you, but I can't come with you. _

_Love,_

_Your daughter, Keladry of Mindelan_

She folded the letter and stood up, shedding her dressing gown. She walked over to her clothespress and pulled out woolen hose, a warm tunic, and a sweater. She dressed quickly, then pulled on stockings and boots and hurried down to the main hall. There were always couriers hanging around there.

She looked around. It was mostly empty, except for a few servants and one guard. Over there, though, in the corner, she saw the blue feather worn in all courier's caps.

She hurried over, calling, "Sir, sir, I mean, Courier,"

The man looked around and stopped, bowing. "Might I be of assistance, Lady?""Yes, please. Would you carry this letter for me? To Mindelan?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, Lady," he said, bowing again, "But the snows have blocked the passages. Nobody's going to be traveling that way until spring."

Kel bit her lip. "Thank you."

The man bowed again and left, slipping slightly in one of the many slushy puddles on the floor.

o-O-o

"I don't know," Kel said, pacing. "I just…I just feel dishonest, almost."

"Why?" Neal asked. "You wrote the letter."

"Yes," she said, "But I still feel like I'm cheating. I have a knobby, sort of hot, hard lump in my belly, and it won't go away."

"What?" Neal asked, his face contorting with worry. "Let me get Father, and he-"

"I don't mean it really," she said, "it just feels that way."

"Oh," he said, sighing with relief. "Well, thank all Gods-it sounded like the Sweating Sickness."

"Oh, no," she protested, "I'm healthy as a horse! Except…I still feel so guilty, about not writing back, even though I did write back, I mean."

"You don't know what you mean," he said. "Go to bed. Now."

"I'm not tired," Kel said, covering a yawn.

"Go," Neal said, pointing.

She went. Neal closed the door firmly behind her, heart dancing in his chest. Kel wasn't going to go. His best friend was going to stay!


	17. Chapter 17

**Thanks to Aria657! **

Chapter 17: Losing It

Ilane of Mindelan paced back and forth, wringing her hands. Her husband, Piers, sat at the table, writing out a report.

"I don't understand," she said, for the sixth time. "I wrote to her two weeks ago! A reply would have gotten here by now."

"Ilane," said Piers, sighing. "The passes are blocked with snow. No courier can pass them, and neither can the merchants. Mindelan is cut off until spring."

"But what can we _do_?" she cried. "I booked two seats on board _The Windsong_, and I still don't know if she's coming with me or not. What if she didn't even _get_ the letter?"

"I'm sure she did," he said. "Now come and help me with this. How do you spell 'immunity' again? One 'm' or two?"

"Two," she sighed, and watched him scratch out a word. "Oh, give it here," she said, sitting down, and proceeded to correct the blotchy, crumpled, and badly misspelled report.

o-O-o

"High! Middle! Low! High! Middle! Low!" Sarge glared at the rows of pages. "Faster, faster! I want to hear that wood clack! Stop yelping, if your fingers hadn't been in the way, they wouldn't have been hit. High! Middle! Mindelan, switch partners with Hollyrose!"Kel sighed and moved over to take Merric's place across from Faleron. He grinned at her, and she heard Merric yelp as Seaver banged his fingers.

She and Faleron worked well together, they hit each other perfectly. The staff was one of Kel's best weapons, and she enjoyed it, too.

Faleron was taller than her by several inches, and he looked down at her. "I hear you might have to leave.""Yes," she panted, "But not until spring. And maybe not, so I don't know."

He nodded, and she started to hit. "I'll miss you," he said, smilingly.

Kel looked up at him through her thick lashes. "I'll miss you, too."

"Oh, if this isn't just _so_ sweet," muttered Garvey, glaring at them, "I could just vomit."

Faleron looked as though he would like to club him with the staff.

"Ignore him," Kel muttered.

"Yes," Garvey said, in a high falsetto, "Just ignore the mean boy, Faleron _dear_."

Faleron growled and started towards him. Vinson, who was sparring with Garvey, smacked Faleron with his staff. Merric jumped in, as did Owen, and soon it was an all-out brawl, with Kel standing there, unsure of what to do. Then she saw a bright spurt of blood, and got mad. "Stop it!" she yelled. "Stop it!"

Sergeant Ezeko was in the armory, discussing a faulty lance with some poor armorer at the top of his lungs. Lord Wyldon was in his study.

When the boys ignored her, she waded into the fray, stepping on fingers and yanking on shirt collars. She pulled Neal out by the leg and Owen by the hair. Merric stepped out, cradling a broken nose, and Faleron, seeing what she was doing, got Cleon and Esmond out. The rest of them subsided slowly when they saw that half of the boys had stopped fighting.

"What in the name of Mithros was that about?" Kel said, evenly. "What were you _thinking_?"

They stared at her, cowed into submission. Even Joren and his crew had nothing to say.

Kel felt a small twinge of guilt for yelling at Faleron, who was just defending her, but she squashed it.

"I know," she said, sarcastically, "You weren't thinking! You just got into a massive fight for no reason, and now we're all going to get in trouble." She rounded on Garvey and yelled, "And just because _you _couldn't keep your mouth shut, and the rest of you couldn't keep your tempers!"

She dropped her staff and turned on her heel, tears streaming freely down her face. She stamped up to her room and threw herself on her bed, where she stayed until lunch.

Then she washed her face, changed her clothes and opened her door.

Standing there were her friends, all looking rather worse for wear.

"Kel!" Owen said, backing up a step. "Hi!"

She stared at them, nonplussed. "Um. Hi."

"We want to say sorry for fighting, even though it was a jolly fight, and making you mad, and we're really, really jolly sorry," said Owen, quickly.

"Yes," said Merric, and Esmond, Seaver, Neal, Cleon, Roald, and Faleron nodded.

Kel smiled weakly. "I was just coming to say sorry to you."

"No," Neal protested, "You didn't do anything wrong. Besides," he added, grinning, "It was fun to see you blow up at Garvey. He's still blushing."

Kel sighed. "I shouldn't have lost it."

"Nonsense," Neal said, dramatically. "Everyone deserves a chance to 'lose it'."

"I didn't mean my temper," she said, sadly. "I meant my mask."

"Oh," he said, awkwardly.

"Well," said Owen, smiling. "Lunch? I think the chefs are making that jolly soup again. And your brother and Neal's cousin have to do their thing for Lord Raoul today!"

"That's right," Neal said, his face lighting up, wickedly. "My poetry, Dom's voice…this'll be great!"

They headed to the mess hall in a state of silent anticipation, and went to their usual table. Seaver nudged Kel. "What did they do again?"

"Left us out in the cold for five hours, and then we got ambushed by Joren's bunch."

"Mm," he said, "Hey, the Stump."

Everyone stood and bowed their heads as Lord Wyldon gave the blessing, then sat and began their lunch. There was a sudden ruckus outside the door as the entire Third Company of the King's Own trooped in, and the pages stood as Lord Raoul walked in as well.

"Lord Raoul," Wyldon asked, standing. "To what do we owe this pleasure?"

"Oh, this and that," said Raoul, waving a hand airily. "The disgraceful behavior of one of my men, and a certain knight…and myself."

"I see," said Wyldon, sounding as if he didn't see at all. "And what has that to do with the price of peas in Persopolis?"

"Well," said Raoul, squirming slightly under the training master's steely glare, "We have prepared an…um…apology, and would like permission to reci-I mean, give it here."

Lord Wyldon nodded and waved a hand tiredly. "Go on, Raoul, just make it quick."

Raoul nodded and beckoned to the Own. They pushed forward two men, Anders and Dom. Dom held a harp, and Anders held a tambourine.

Neal rubbed his hands together gleefully. "This is going to be great," he hissed.

Kel nodded.

Lord Raoul stood and clapped his hands. "Attention pages, this is a ballad written by Nealan of Queenscove."The pages groaned, Neal beamed, and Lord Wyldon glared at Raoul.

Dom plucked at the harp, and everyone winced as it twanged unmusically. Anders banged the tambourine, and Lord Raoul sang,

" _Two days ago, a band of pages,_

_Of many different ages,_

_Gathered in a house of snow,_

_Whilst three knights plotted something so low."_

Anders banged the tambourine again. Kel blushed. Neal hummed along with Lord Raoul's off-key voice.

"_They did not come, to throw a snowball,_

_They did not come, though snow did fall,_

_When the pages realized this was true,_

_They vowed 'We will get back at you!_

"_Queenscove was very smart, you know,_

_He knew better than to charge into the snow, _

_From a dastardly trick his cousin Dom,_

_Had played on him when he was young."_

The Third chuckled and clapped along. The pages were too nonplussed to do anything.

The song continued in many long, ill rhymed stanzas, describing Neal's brilliance and bravery, and the rest of the pages devotion to him. It ended with a terrible stanza going,

"_The evil knight and evil Lord and very evil, mean, nasty, sarcastic, MEATHEADED Sergeant knew they were beat,_

_They wept, they groveled at his feet,_

_He forgave them as you can see,_

_And wrote them this apology!"_

Dom broke a string on the harp.

Anders banged on the tambourine.

Lord Raoul's voice broke on a very high note.

And Neal applauded loudly.

Kel stared at him. "There are no words," she said, and shook her head.

He beamed at everyone. Suddenly, the hall was filled with hysterical laughter.


	18. Chapter 18

**Kay. Thanks to Aria657, Zellawarrior, and Shadowave for your reviews.**

**So, pretty much, I just realized that I haven't done a disclaimer since…um, **

**Chapter one…so I guess…I don't own anything except the plot.**

**Don't rub it in.**

**Sorry this is short. Reviews will earn longer ones…**

Chapter 18: A Shopping Spree

The pages trooped out of the mess hall and Kel ran to catch up with Faleron. "Fal!"

He looked back at her and stood, waiting. "Hey," she panted, "I just wanted to say, I'm sorry about yelling at you before. You were only standing up for me."

He shrugged. "It's no big deal."

"Yes," she said, "It is."

He shook his head again. "No."

"It is," Kel started to say, then laughed at herself. "Look at me," she said, "I came here to apologize, and here I am arguing with you!"

He smiled.

"So," Kel said, "Do you forgive me?"

"Of course," he answered. "It's not your fault. I shouldn't have started fighting in the first place."

"No," Kel protested, "It was _my_ fault! How can I make it up to you?"

Faleron's eyes widened for a moment, then he said, "You don't have to…do anything."

"Yes, I do," Kel said. "I feel bad. Are you sure you're not angry?"

"Certain."

"Well, I still feel bad."

"You know, maybe you could make it up to me…no, you wouldn't want to."

"What?"

Faleron shrugged. "Forget I asked."

"No. You tell me this instant, or I'll…I'll…"

Faleron shrugged. "Fine. But you can't laugh."

"I won't laugh!"

"I…I need help…with something…that I…don't know much…about."

"Well, tell me," Kel said, rolling her eyes.

"Lets walk and talk, alright?"

"Sure," Kel said, hiding a smile. What could be so important that it had gotten Faleron, cool, collected Faleron, so worried?

They walked down the hallway and out toward the gardens. "See," Faleron said, "My sister is getting married.

"Oh, Fal, that's great! Congratulations."

"Thanks."

Kel looked closely at him. "So, what do you need?"

"I…"

"What?"

"I'm supposed to get her a gift, and I don't know what I should get."

"Oh," Kel said, smiling mischievously. "And you thought, since I was The Girl, I would know what a girl would want?"

"I…I…yes, but, please, I don't….you don't…."

"Sure. We should go to Corus then, and see what they have there."

"Really?"

"Yes. You're my friend, after all."

She turned to go.

"Hey, Kel?"

"Yes?"

"Thanks."

o-O-o

"You're going shopping?"

"Yes."

"You?"

"Yes!"

"But…but…_you?_"

"Yes!"

"Kel, you don't shop. You're…you're a warrior maiden!"

"Warrior maidens need clothing, too. Besides, I told Faleron I'd go."

"You're going shopping for clothing with _Faleron_?"

"No!"

"But you said…you said…"

"Anders, shut up."

o-O-o

"You're going shopping?"

"Shut up, Merric."

"No, he's right. I mean, c'mon, Fal, you can't fence with him because you're going shopping?"

"Shut up, Neal."

"What are you going shopping for?"

"For a pregnancy charm. No, seriously, what do you think?"

"I don't know. A shirt? Why do you have to go?"

"I asked Kel to go already!"

"You're going shopping for a pregnancy charm with _Kel_?"

"No! Shut up, Merric!"

"Well, you did say-"

"Oh, shut up, Neal."

o-O-o

Kel tapped her foot. She had been waiting for twenty minutes already, and if Faleron didn't show up soon, she was going to kill him.

"Ready yet?"

She looked up. "About time, too," she started, but trailed off when she saw the look on his face. "What?"

"You're wearing a dress."

"What? Oh, this. Well, my brother doesn't like for me to wear pants out of the castle until I'm a knight, says it's dangerous. I don't know why. I know I look stupid, but…"

"No."

"What?"

"You look nice."

"Thanks."

"Should we go?"

"I guess."

They walked down to Corus, talking amicably about the training. When they reached the market, Faleron turned to Kel and said, "You're in charge."

"What?"

"I don't know the first thing about shopping. You're in charge."

Kel smiled. "Alright. What's your sister's favorite color?"

"I don't know…green? Green or blue."

"Well, what does she look like?"

Faleron shrugged. "Like me, with longer hair. Shorter, too, around your height."

"I'm short?"

"Compared to me, anyway."

"Huh. She looks like you?"

"Yes."

"Lucky girl," she muttered, then said, "Then she'll look good in gold and red. Black, green , purple and blue, too, now that I think of it."

"How do you know that?"

"Well, you look good in those colors," Kel answered, smiling. "Actually, I'm just guessing about the purple, as I've never had the…uh…pleasure of seeing you in that color, but…"

"Hey!" Faleron said, grinning. "So, what are we getting her?"

"Jewelry," Kel said, decidedly. "Jewelry is perfect."

"Alright."

They made their way to the smaller stands that boasted gold and silver, rings and bracelets.

"What should I get her?" Faleron asked. "A necklace? This one's kind of pretty…"

Kel looked at the necklace he was holding, and blushed crimson. Then she said, "You _don't_ want to get her one of those. Especially as she's getting married."

"Why?"

Kel ignored him and hauled him off to a different stall. "A necklace and earbobs are nice," she said, knowledgably, "And these are pretty. Look, all the way from Carthak!"

"Really? Hold them up."

She picked up the delicate gold and jasper necklace and earbobs. "What do you think?"

"It's perfect," he said, "How much?"

"Two gold nobles," answered the old woman at the stall.

Kel's eyes widened. "Are you mad?" she asked, "A copper bit."

"One silver noble," said the woman.

"Two coppers."

"Five."

"Done."

As they walked away, Faleron asked, "Why did you bargain like that? I could pay that."

"It's a nice piece of jewelry," Kel said, "But it's not worth two nobles. She knew that. You have to barter in the market. It's…it's custom."

"Hm," said Faleron, shrugging. "I guess. Now you know why I don't shop!" he joked.

Kel laughed. "Shall we head back to the palace then?"

"I guess."

"Alright."

"Kel?"

"Yes?"

"Thanks."

"No problem."


End file.
